What Was This Eyesore on Route 9W in Ulster County?

There are so many old abandoned buildings throughout the Hudson Valley, and many of them have been this way for so long that we don’t notice them anymore. Until we do. And then we think to ourselves, what the hell was that building? How long has it been sitting here empty like this?

There is one of those buildings on Route 9W heading north in the Highland area of Ulster County. Just past Zumtobel Lighting. It’s a weird little building with a rounded roof. Was it used for storage? Was it some kind of store or other business? What the heck was it? Right now it’s covered with overgrown bushes and lots of graffiti. I must have passed this place hundreds of times over the years, and I can’t for the life of me remember what was in that building. And I guess it’s been in disrepair for so long that I just stopped noticing it.

Do you pass this building on your travels? Do you notice it? If you are or were from that area of Ulster County, maybe you can fill the rest of us in. Perhaps you know the history of the building, what it was used for, and how it came to be such a sad little spot on Rte. 9W. I’m curious and I can’t be the only one.

Sadly, there are tons of buildings like this one all over the Hudson Valley. I live in Dutchess County and pass abandoned buildings daily, both houses and former businesses. Wouldn’t it be great if somehow we could get these buildings to at least look better? Even if they can’t be fixed or torn down. That’s a pipe dream, so for now I’ll settle on an answer. What the hell was that old building on Route 9W?